Frederick william frith



(No Model.)

F. W. FRITH. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS;

n. Penn's. Phowulmgnpher, Wuhingtnn. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK WILLIAM FRITH, OF LENNOXVILLE, QUEBEC, CANADA.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY- SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,406, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed March 2'7, 1889. Serial No. 304,924. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WILLIAM FRITH, of Lennoxville, in the Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented 5 a new and Improved Electric Railway-Signal,

of which the followiug'is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to that class of signals in which the signal-board is operated by an electro-magnet, and the object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction of railway-signals of this character.

The invention consists of the novel construction and combination of parts, as here- I 5 inafter described, and defined in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in-which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a railroadsignal embodying my invention with the movable signal-board, carrying a lens or bullseye, in the normal or signaling position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation on-the line 0: 0c of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the signal-lens or bulls-eye swung out of the signaling position, the armature and lever being in section.

Referring to the parts, A represents the c standard or semaphore, having a suitable seat a for the signal-lantern B, and provided also with the cross-arm A. In the vertical arms or posts a at each end of cross-arm A are journaled the journals or pivots-c of the' signal board or plate 0, in which is centrally 40 formed, a weight 0 for returning the said board to the vertical position when moved therefrom by the electric circuit acting on Y the devices next described. On one of the journals 0 is keyed a pinion c, which meshes 5 with the teeth of a rack-bar D, to the lower end of which rack-bar is pivoted a lever E,

carrying at its free end an armature F, the

said lever being fulcrumed on a hanger a On the cross-arm A is held the electro-magnet F, above the armature F, and when the electric circuit is closed-as, for instance, by

pressing the push-button f-the armature is drawn against said magnet, which throws the lever E,and with it the rack-bar D, the movement of which rack-bar swings the signalboard 0, through the medium of pinion 0 from the vertical to the horizontal position, and thus exposes the white light of the lantern. The rack-bar D is guided at its upper end in a keeper a on the adjacent arm a. Upon the circuit being opened the weight 0 throws down the signal-board and maintains it in the vertical position with the colored lens in front of the lantern until the circuit is again closed. By arranging the weighted signal-board on horizontal pivots the resistance offered by the weight to the action of the magnet is least at the beginning of its movement, and as it nears the horizontal po sition and offers the greatest resistance the magnet is correspondingly more effective because of the closer proximity of its armature.

From the above construction it will be seen that the signal-board C will serve to signal trains during the day and also serve as a carrier for the lens or bulls-eye O, which is used in connection with the lamp for nightsignaling.

Having thus described myinvention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The' combination, with the semaphore or standard having upright bearings a a and the signal-board O, for day-signaling, pivoted at its ends in said bearings and provided with a central aperture having a translucent night-signal therein, and a weight 0 on the lower half of the board, of the rack and pinion D c', the lever E, pivoted to swing vertically below the board, pivotally connected at one end to the lower end of the rack and having an armature F at its opposite end, the magnet F above the armature, the wires leading from the magnet down the standard, and the push-button f on the standard for closing the electric circuit, and the lamp or light behind the board in line with the nightsignal, substantially as set forth.

-- FREDERICK WILLIAM FRITH.

Witnesses:

- H. J. HAMILTON 'PETRY,

ROBT. W. WRIGHT. 

